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Title 10 — Armed ForcesRelease 119-73

§2686 Utilities and services: sale; expansion and extension of systems and facilities

Title 10 › Subtitle Subtitle A— - General Military Law › Part PART IV— - SERVICE, SUPPLY, AND PROPERTY › Chapter CHAPTER 159— - REAL PROPERTY; RELATED PERSONAL PROPERTY; AND LEASE OF NON-EXCESS PROPERTY › § 2686

Last updated Apr 6, 2026|Official source

Summary

The military Secretary for the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps, Space Force, or Coast Guard (or someone they pick) can sell or contract to sell utilities to people on or right next to one of their installations. They may do this only if no local source exists and the sale helps national defense or the public. It covers nine utilities: electric power, steam, compressed air, water, sewage and garbage disposal, natural/manufactured/mixed gas, ice, mechanical refrigeration, and telephone service. Money from those sales must go back into the budget used to supply that utility. The Secretary may also make small extensions or expansions of distribution systems or facilities inside an installation to meet local needs.

Full Legal Text

Title 10, §2686

Armed Forces — Source: USLM XML via OLRC

(a)Under such regulations and for such periods and at such prices as he may prescribe, the Secretary concerned or his designee may sell or contract to sell to purchasers within or in the immediate vicinity of an activity of the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps, Space Force, or Coast Guard, as the case may be, any of the following utilities and related services, if it is determined that they are not available from another local source and that the sale is in the interest of national defense or in the public interest:
(1)Electric power.
(2)Steam.
(3)Compressed air.
(4)Water.
(5)Sewage and garbage disposal.
(6)Natural, manufactured, or mixed gas.
(7)Ice.
(8)Mechanical refrigeration.
(9)Telephone service.
(b)Proceeds of sales under subsection (a) shall be credited to the appropriation currently available for the supply of that utility or service.
(c)To meet local needs the Secretary concerned may make minor expansions and extensions of any distributing system or facility within an activity through which a utility or service is furnished under subsection (a).

Legislative History

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Historical and Revision Notes

Revised sectionSource (U.S. Code)Source (Statutes at Large) 2481(a)5:626s.5:626s–1 (less words between semicolon and colon).10:1269.July 30, 1947, ch. 394, 61 Stat. 675; Aug. 8, 1949, ch. 403, § 5, 63 Stat. 576. 10:1269a (less words between semicolon and colon). 34:553a. 34:553b (less words between semicolon and colon). 2481(b)5:626s–1 (words between semicolon and colon). 10:1269a (words between semicolon and colon). 34:553b (words between semicolon and colon). 2481(c)5:626s–2. 10:1269b. 34:553c. In subsection (a), the words “within his establishment”, “of time”, and the opening clauses of 5:626s–1, 10:1269a, and 34:553b, are omitted as surplusage. The words “not available from another local source” are substituted for the words “not otherwise available from local private or public sources”. In subsection (b), the words “of sales under subsection (a)” are substituted for the words “received for any such utilities and related services sold pursuant to the authority of said sections”. The words “or appropriations” are omitted as surplusage.

Editorial Notes

Prior Provisions

A prior section 2686, added Pub. L. 95–82, title V, § 504(a)(1), Aug. 1, 1977, 91 Stat. 371; amended Pub. L. 95–356, title V, § 503(a), Sept. 8, 1978, 92 Stat. 579; Pub. L. 96–125, title V, § 502(a), Nov. 26, 1979, 93 Stat. 940; Pub. L. 96–418, title V, § 504(a), Oct. 10, 1980, 94 Stat. 1765, related to military family housing leases, prior to repeal by Pub. L. 97–214, §§ 7(1), 12(a), July 12, 1982, 96 Stat. 173, 176, effective Oct. 1, 1982, and applicable to military

Construction

projects, and to

Construction

and acquisition of military family housing authorized before, on, or after such date. See section 2828(a), (b) of this title.

Amendments

2021—Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 116–283 substituted “Marine Corps, Space Force,” for “Marine Corps,” in introductory provisions. 1997—Pub. L. 105–85 renumbered section 2481 of this title as this section. 1959—Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 86–156, § 1(1), substituted “concerned” for “of a military department” and inserted “or Coast Guard,” after “Marine Corps,”. Subsec. (c). Pub. L. 86–156, § 1(2), struck out “of the military department” after “Secretary”.

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Transfer of Functions

For transfer of authorities, functions, personnel, and assets of the Coast Guard, including the authorities and functions of the Secretary of Transportation relating thereto, to the Department of Homeland Security, and for treatment of related references, see section 468(b), 551(d), 552(d), and 557 of Title 6, Domestic Security, and the Department of Homeland Security Reorganization Plan of November 25, 2002, as modified, set out as a note under section 542 of Title 6.

Reference

Citations & Metadata

Citation

10 U.S.C. § 2686

Title 10 — Armed Forces

Last Updated

Apr 6, 2026

Release point: 119-73